Crash diets and eight-week challenges may promise quick results, but they rarely deliver change that lasts. For executives, sustainable health is about more than weight. It is about energy, focus and resilience. The way you fuel your body affects how you perform in the boardroom, how you handle stress and how well you protect your long-term health.
Drawing on insights from the EHS clinical team, here are nine lessons that can help you build healthy eating habits that last.
1. Change takes time
Executives are used to driving outcomes quickly, but health requires a different approach. Focus on one change at a time and keep each step small and simple. Consistency matters more than speed. Small actions compounded over time deliver lasting results.
2. Eat mindfully
Multitasking during meals can lead to overeating and missed cues of fullness. Slow down, pay attention to the taste and texture of your food and make mealtimes distraction-free. Mindful eating not only improves digestion but also gives you a pause in a busy day.
3. Fill your plate with vegetables
Most Australians fall short of the recommended five serves of vegetables and two serves of fruit each day. Vegetables provide fibre, vitamins and minerals that reduce the risk of cancer, diabetes and heart disease while supporting steady energy. Aim for half your plate to be non-starchy vegetables, whether you are at home, in a restaurant or entertaining clients.
4. Keep carbohydrates on the plate
Removing entire food groups rarely works long term. Wholegrain carbohydrates are a vital source of energy for long workdays and provide fibre that lowers disease risk. Include foods like oats, brown rice, quinoa and wholemeal bread as part of your daily intake.
5. Build your support team
Behaviour change is easier with accountability. Involving friends, family or colleagues increases your chances of success, and studies show that partners who work towards health goals together are more likely to sustain them. Even small acts of support, such as walking meetings or shared meal prep, can make a difference.
6. Reduce temptation
Your environment shapes your choices. If you regularly pass a bakery that tempts you, change your route. Keep healthier snacks in your office and at home so that the easier choice is also the better one. Executives understand the power of systems and environments. Use the same principle for your health.
7. Plan for success
Busy schedules often derail healthy habits, but planning prevents this. Schedule your exercise and meals just as you would meetings. Keep nutritious snacks within reach so you are not reliant on vending machines or late-night takeaways. Planning turns good intentions into action.
8. Prioritise sleep
Without adequate rest, even the best nutrition plan is harder to follow. Research published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that sleep-deprived adults ate an extra 1610 kJ per day compared with those who slept well. Aim for seven to nine hours each night to support recovery, focus and healthier food choices.
9. Expect setbacks
Everyone has days when plans fall through. The key is not to let a setback become a spiral. View it as a temporary detour rather than a failure, then return to your routine. Resilience in health, as in leadership, comes from persistence rather than perfection.
Building habits that last
Healthy eating is not about short-term fixes. For executives, it is about creating patterns that sustain energy, performance and wellbeing over a lifetime. If you want guidance tailored to your health profile, our EHS assessments and health coaching services can provide practical strategies and accountability to keep you on track.
